Last week, during my several attempts to write an introduction of a chapter I ended up surfing through http://www.zomato.com( my latest addiction after Flipkart) and bumped onto two excellent reviews of The Potbelly Rooftop Cafe @ Shahpur Jat. I was even thinking of applying for the position of Content analyst in Zomato. Occupational Hazards!!!! Well, I had already made plans of Cafe Small Talk for Sunday so decided to catch up with Sa and explore Potbelly- a restaurant which was also recommended by a very close friend quite some time back. We decided to settle for dinner.

Potbelly is located right behind UCO Bank ATM in Shahpur Jat and the narrow flight of stairs leads you to this wonderfully lit place with bright interiors. The decor is quite interesting and pleasant. Innovative use of Chai Glasses to lit up the place. Used Wine Bottles serve as flower vases and the warm colours of the upholstery is a pleasant change. For some lovely pictures you can visit the following blogger’s link (http://www.archi-star.net/2012/05/hangout-potbelly-cafe-shahpur-jat.html). Their cutlery could have been a little more innovative but I admired the wonderful share of Longpi pottery mugs and starter plates in which they served their tea and starters.

Well, take a wild guess about the cuisine they serve. BIHARI FOOD! Yes, the very mention of Bihari food will remind you of Litti Chokha (wheat balls stuffed with Sattu) but trust me it is much more than that. Despite the zomato reviewers giving a thumbs up for their GolMirch Chicken Platter (Boneless Chicken In Creamy Pepper Preparation served with tawa mirchi lachha Parantha and saboodana pakoras) I decided to settle down for the good old Litti Chokha while Sa settled for Madhubani Thali (Traditional Alu Chana Dal served with assortment of sattu puri and onion puri. Aubergine Raita which tasted sweet was the final punch). They have a non-vegetarian option as well where Littis are served with Khada Masala Chicken and Aubergine Chokha. We began our meal with Baggia Basket ( pockets of rice stuffed with lentils) which came with a fresh chutney and nice masala chai followed by our main course. We had a perfect dinner break before busy Friday.

As I write this review I have a wish list of things I have to try next time I am there. And of course I will go back during lunch time to enjoy the sunny afternoon on a chilly weekend.

So, in case you have not planned your weekend, you might like to reserve yourself a nice cosy corner for Sunday lunch @ Potbelly.

Though I love Nagaland Kitchen in Uphaar Cinema Complex in Green Park and their Raja Chilly Bloody Mary is absolutely sinful, I have become a huge fan of Bamboo Hut. Bamboo Hut is located in the busiest lane connecting GTB Nagar Metro Station (Exit towards Mukherjee Nagar, Kingsway Camp) to Batra Cinema, Mukherjee Nagar. A lot of interesting restaurants have opened in Outram Lines, Kingsway Camp, over the course of last few years. Two interesting Korean joints are my favourite haunts in this lane.

Bamboo Hut Restaurant has become a favourite haunt with the students who like Naga food. So, if you love Naga Food and stay in North Delhi you might want to skip the Naga food stall in Delhi Haat or The Nagaland Kitchen in Green Park. The Decor of Bamboo Hut is quite nice and the lovely wooden benches and tables are more than comfortable. The wooden cutlery and bamboo mats add a nice touch to the place.

As far as the menu is concerned their Pork Ribs Dry Fried (Rs 160) and Pork with Bamboo Shoot(Rs130) are best followed by Pork with Anishi (Rs 130). What adds to the kick is that they serve Red Rice all for Rs 60 and a wonderful Chutney of Raja Mircha Aloo Chutney for Rs 30. In the Pork section, you will get Pork with Kidney Beans, Pork with Axione, and I secretly wish that they should start Pork Robu (Dry Yam Leaves). They have similar combinations (Bamboo shoot, Anishi) in Chicken as well. For starters with Naga food, I would recommend the Naga Thali which comes at a price of Rs 200 with Choice of Pork, Chicken or Fish, Rice, Naga Dal, Boil Veg. and Chutney. And of course you will get Chicken, Pork and Veg Momos (Fried and Steamed) and finish off your meal with a fruit beer @ Rs 20.

Flipside: No alcohol is served.

Next time while you are in North Campus, try out this new place. A Must try !

On a cold evening, while I was unpacking, I received a call from my friend that they have discovered a place close to C.R. Park which serves “authentic” Bengali dishes and not too overpriced. Considering it was almost month end and we could spare Rs 250 per head we decided to opt for the home delivery option of this place. A quick search on google led us to the world of City of Joy- a restaurant tucked away in Aravali Shopping Complex, Alaknanda. After a listing of the menus which comprised of Bhetki Paturi, Railway Mutton Curry and Chicken DakBanglow we settled for Maa er hater atar roti ( thats what the Menu card calls Roti/ most commonly known in North India as Tawa Roti). A friendly voice listed the orders and took exactly 45 min to home deliver.

We were highly impressed by the taste and the quantity. Paturi tasted divine. The cynic that I am I thought this would be a one time performance and yesterday on a note of emergency I called them up to check around 2.30pm if they would home deliver after 3pm since I was expecting a friend who had missed her lunch. They agreed to take the order around 3pm and the lunch spread was usually grand. I kept my fingers crossed as I unwrapped the Paturi and Aloo Posto ( Potato and Poppy seed paste) hoping that nothing should go wrong since this was practically the last order and the chefs must be retired souls. To our amazement the greenpeas stuffed kachoris were done to perfection. I could visualise the fluffy texture it might have had if I had eaten it in their restaurant. My friend was highly impressed and like a good foodie she said she does not think if any of the leftovers would make its way to my dinner. Content and relieved I said to my mind thank you City of Joy for being there.

I would recommend this place to anybody who is willing to explore Bengali cuisine as they offer quite a variety of vegetarian and non- vegetarian options which usually does not find its way to the Menu cards. Dishes like Posto Narkel Bora (a fried preparation of Poppy seeds, coconut), Data Chachori, Echorer Guli Kofta ( Kofta of Jackfruit), mouri foron diye kalai er dal ( a lentil preparation with sauf), the list is endless and I would suggest you could browse their website www.cityofjoydelhi.com for details.

You can also visit their restaurant which is quite cosy in its own way. So, next time you want to dig into some Bengali delicacy you can explore this place. Usual disclaimers apply: Some items are seasonal and subject to availability, particularly items to be sourced from West Bengal.

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